By Nina Ahn Photographs by Eric Sueyoshi
In most department stores, they’re hidden somewhere between baby clothing and lingerie: dresses that more closely resemble potato sacks than a woman’s curvy figure. Yes, we’re talking about the plus-size women’s section where the wardrobe is generally limited to conservative separates in dark colors or awful patterns. They’re styles that many wouldn’t be caught dead in, and yet, may have no other choice.
According to Largesse, an organization that promotes “size esteem,” the average American woman wears a size 14 — although the generally fashion-backward styles available to plus-size women proves that the retail industry isn’t yet convinced that stylish plus-size clothing can sell.
The market has been pretty much wide open, which is why, three years ago, husband and wife Yul and Christina Kwon launched Missphit — advertised as “Plus size clothing for the trendy, curvy fashionista.”
Yul’s parents, now semi-retired, owned a missy and plus-size fashion company mostly catering to private labels for almost 20 years. In 2000, Yul was recruited to take over the family business. The Georgetown graduate who had experience in advertising and a finance degree from Boston College returned home to Los Angeles to learn the trade.
Not long after he started, he began receiving requests for more contemporary, current styles. His parents had paved the way in the plus-size market with budget-friendly options, but they catered to older, more conservative women. The industry needed a shake-up, and Yul saw an opportunity.
“The business in the past was always about price, price, price — just try to get big, private label orders,” explains Yul. “Now let’s do something where we can develop a brand, an image, and people come and know what our fit is like.”
Around the same time, Yul quickly found himself falling for Christina, a new designer for his company. Having studied in Paris and a graduate of Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, Christina was raised in Korea but came to the States to pursue a career in fashion design.
“We were a little careful because we were working together,” says Yul of their budding romance, “but all the pieces and emotions were there.” They started dating only a few months later and married in 2006.
So for the past three years, Yul, who heads the business side of the company, and Christina, who heads the company’s team of designers, have reached out to department stores and boutiques literally all across the world trying to promote their brand of bold, curve-hugging novelty tops, which retail for around $40.
Yul, 31, is the quintessential confident businessman, rolling out plus-size industry stats and talking up his new line without skipping a beat. Christina, 32, on the other hand, is shy and prefers to leave the talking to her counterpart. (When asked what she enjoys about her line of work, she says, demurely, “Simple question! Just growing the business with my husband.”) The Kwons’ yin-and-yang relationship seems to work well within Missphit’s daily operations, as the brand has gained industry cred.
“There are very few designers in the industry that are devoted to novelty tops. They just assume that the plus-size woman is not fashionable,” says Catherine Schueller, a plus-size media spokesperson and former Ford plus-size model. “Yul and his wife have managed to really hone in on what needs to be done in this market.”
And although they have Dillard’s on board and a few more department store deals in the works, the real turning point came after “American Idol” performer LaKisha Jones wore one of their halter tops during the show’s sixth season. Suddenly, a flood of requests started pouring in to Missphit’s Web site.
“They were saying, ‘I don’t live near a Dillard’s. Where can I buy it?’” recounts Yul.
Always the entrepreneur, Yul set up an e-commerce store on the Web site to capitalize on the buzz from what was now known as “the ‘American Idol’ top.” Although sales have not been as good as he had hoped, Web site visits have slowly risen despite. They haven’t invested much in advertising, but continue to receive e-mails from thankful customers.
Unlike most plus-size clothing that simply works off a standard sample size (usually size 6) and simply increases the proportions, Yul and Christina work with what are known as fit models: plus-size women who try on the clothing and give feedback on how to perfect the sample. Missphit also employs a patternmaker who has the experience and know-how to fit the clothing specifically for a plus-size woman’s curves.
“We don’t fit them just on your standard plus-model body type,” says Yul. “We’ll go for all different shapes. We’ll go for shorter and rounder. We’ll go for tall and glamorous or voluptuous. We just try to find something that fits everyone.
“Some companies say, ‘Let’s just make it big and make sure it covers your body.’ [That ends up] like a sack. We’re going to try and make the curves correct.”
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One of the the biggest Asian cinema events to hit Southern California opens on May 10. The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications, features the latest works by established and emerging filmmakers, along with seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.
Opening Night features “Shanghai Calling,” directed by Daniel Hsia and starring Korean American Daniel Henney, who plays a Chinese American expat lawyer navigating his way through the mean streets of Shanghai (the picture above also indicates he is a raisin smuggler). But does he take off his shirt? Go watch the movie to find out! read more
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